IRB: Ethics & Human Research

Exploitation of prisoners in clinical research: Perceptions of study participants

by Paul P. Christopher, Michael D. Stein, Jennifer E. Johnson, Josiah D. Rich, Peter D. Friedmann, Jennifer Clarke, and Charles W. LidzPublished Volume: 38 | Issue: 1

This paper discusses findings of a study examining whether inmate participants in clinical research experience their participation as exploitative and what opinions they have regarding access to research in general. Perspectives of 70 prisoners who were enrolled in one of six different clinical studies were analyzed. A minority of participants agreed with statements suggestive of potential exploitation. All but one participant believed that prisoners should have greater access to research. On balance, these data provide reassurance that prisoners in this sample do not view their involvement in clinical research as inappropriately exploitative.

Keywords: exploitation, vulnerable populations, prisoners, informed consent

Christopher PP, Stein MD, Johnson JE, et al. Exploitation of prisoners in clinical research: Perceptions of study participants. IRB: Ethics & Human Research 2016;38(1):7-12.